596 



RODENTIA 



with posterior border of vi\ the hamulars not diverging pos- 

 teriorly. Incisive foramina moderately long and narrow, much 

 as in Cricetus cricetus, the width of both together about one-third 

 length, their posterior border extending to within about • 5 mm. 

 of level of tirst molar. Mandible resembling that of Cricetus 

 cricetus in the strongly bowed ramus and in the length and dis- 

 tinctness of the three main processes, the coronoid process larger 

 and more approximating to size and form of angular process than 

 in Ajpodemus. Outer surface of angular process distinctly convex 

 laterally, not concave as in Cricetus cricetus. 



Teeth. — Except for their much smaller size the teeth are 

 essentially like those of Cricetus cricetus both in structure and in 

 length of tooth-row relatively to diastema and to width of palate. 

 Neither incisors nor molars show any tendency toward the 

 peculiarities assumed in Mesocricetus. 



Measurements. — External measurements of an adult female 

 from Kephissia, near Athens : head and body, 87 ; tail, 22 ; 

 hind foot, 16. Eor cranial measurements see Table, p. 595. 



Specimens examined. — Three, all from the vicinity of Athens. 



Semarks. — Though nearly related to the Cricetulus pJiseus of 

 Asia Minor, the Grecian animal appears to be sufficiently distin- 

 guished by its smaller size. 



2?. Athens, Greece. (C. Moita^.) Hon. N. C. Roths- 8.10.2.47-48. 



child (p). 



Genus CRICETUS Leske. 



1779. Cricetus Leske, Anfangsgruude der Naturgesch., i, p. 168. 



1799. Hamster Lac^pede, Tabl. des divisions ordres et genres des Mamm., 



p. 10 (Hamster nigricans Lac^pede = Miis cricetus Liunseus). 

 1859. Cricetus Blasius, Saugethiere Deutschlands, p. 305. 

 1873. Heliomys Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 4th ser., xii, p. 417, 



November, 1873 (H. jeudii = Cricetus cricetus). 



Type species. — Mus cricetus Linnaeus (by tautonymy). 



Geographical distribution. — Central Europe, from Belgium 

 and northern France eastward into Russia and Asia Minor. 

 Eastern limit of range not known. 



Characters. — General form heavy and thick set, not murine ; 

 tail short but evident, slightly longer than hind foot ; mammse, 

 8 ; skull not murine in appearance, the interparietal much 

 reduced, the brain-case with two conspicuous, nearly parallel 

 ridges continued forward through interorbital region ; occiput 

 obliquely truncate ; rostrum much more than half as broad as 

 brain-case ; ectopterygoid fossa short, deep, moderately pit-like ; 

 infraorbital foramen with well developed external plate ; enamel 

 pattern characterized by presence of noticeable supplemental 

 median loops or islands in maxillary teeth. 



